This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Maryland chapter.

As our nation has changed in so many ways in the last few decades, for better or for worse, the better changes have shifted our society and our ways of thinking to a more liberal, open and ideal outlook on many ideas.

20 years ago, having an African-American president and a female secretary of state seemed almost laughable, as they were concepts that have never reached the surface as reality, falling short as just the dreams of many ambitious but unrealistic individuals. The idea that people of the same sex could legally marry, or that marijuana could be sold for recreational use, are just another two outdated ideas in that they are no longer just a dream.

In a society where we have shifted to a liberal social nature, the fact that women could be denied any right a man has is just pure foolishness and a product of those who are still “living in the past.” It is for this mentality, among many logical and obvious reasons that I strongly stand by the implementation of women into the combat arms.

As of more recently, the United States military services have been extensively researching the requirements for the fields that have not been open to women. The bottom line is that all women may not be equipped for combat, but doesn’t that hold true for men as well?

Not every man is capable of fighting in combat, which is why there are countless physical fitness tests coupled with training and vigorous exercise. The decision to let someone fight should not be gender based, but based on physical tests that are given equally to both men and women proving that the most physically capable, regardless of their gender, be permitted to fight.

“There are some women who are as strong, if not stronger than some men,” said senior journalism major Kelly Rowe. “They should, at the very least, have a chance to prove it.”
In addition, being skilled with weapons and technology is not dependent on physical strength, but relies heavily on coordination and mental capabilities, where gender bias is far less prevalent.

With 7% of The Marine Corps being female and 13% of The Army being female, not many women have been given the opportunity to truly prove themselves as individuals and for their gender. However, 292,000 female military personnel have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and 152 have lost their lives.

“When I entered basis training, the guys in my unit were asking me for help and looking at me to see what to do,” said senior journalism major Danielle Levy who lived in Israel in Fall 2009. “I won best soldier in my unit.”

Enough women have clearly put in the time, effort and paid their dues, earning them the right of consideration for all roles of combat.

The Army and Marines have promoted themselves in countless advertisements as a means for people to get back on their feet, get an education, turn their lives around and be employed for the right reasons. With this in mind, not allowing women the right to fight as a means of bettering their lives as individuals takes away many job and life opportunities for them, which is sexist and wrong.

Furthermore, in November 2012, four female soldiers sued the Department of Defense over the restrictions on women, arguing that women had been engaged in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan effectively and the idea of the frontline has changed over this time. It is unfair for the U.S. military to pretend that women have not already been engaged in combat, as just separating their titles by front line to rear echelon has not fully distinguished and separated the two on the battlefield.

It is for these reasons that women absolutely deserve the military opportunities that men have. The fact that they have put in the time and proven themselves, the idea that hundreds of thousands of jobs will be made available, and the notion that there are plenty of qualified women out there was enough for Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to overturn the already out-dated law.

But, moreover, the mere common sense in that women have proven to be just as capable as men in every other occupation is the real icing on the cake. Not allowing women to fight would conflict with everything we stand for as a country and the whole mindset we’ve been trying to suggest to the next generation.

Equality is the backbone of our nation, so why compromise it?

Top Photo Credit: Commons.Wikimedia.Org
Bottom Photo Credit: Flickr.com

Women in Combat

We wanna slide into your DMs